DASMARIÑAS, CAVITE — Ces Molina finally made her long-awaited return to the Premier Volleyball League Taraflex on Thursday at the Dasmariñas Arena here, ending nearly a year away from competitive play.
The long-time face of Cignal, Molina parted ways with the HD Spikers at the end of 2024 and spent almost seven months as a free agent before officially joining Farm Fresh.
In her first game action in over 10 months, the 2023 PVL Invitational Conference MVP was tapped by head coach Alessando Lodi to start — and she delivered nine points in the Foxies’ 22-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-21 victory over the Nxled Chameleons.
For Molina, the moment was simply about rediscovering her joy on the court.
“Finally ngayon nakalaro ako ulit so I’m very happy na nashi-share ko ulit yung talent ko sa mga fans ng volleyball,” said Molina.
Adjusting to a new environment was no small feat for the 5-foot-11 outside hitter, who spent two years with Cignal. Making the transition a little smoother was her partner and middle blocker, Riri Meneses, who also joined her at Farm Fresh.
(C) PVL Images
They now form part of a dynamic Foxies lineup that blends rising stars like Trisha Tubu, Alohi Robins-Hardy, and Jolina Dela Cruz with seasoned veterans Rachel Anne Daquis and Jheck Dionela — both of whom are also former Cignal players.
“Well, nung una talaga nag-aadjust pa ako dahil new set of players, may veterans meron ding young players and now may foreign player kami so nandoon talaga sa adjustment stage pero yun nga, Coach Lodi was helping us na makacope up sa trainings,” Molina shared.
Despite a steady performance in her comeback, Molina admitted she’s still far from her peak form and remains focused on regaining her rhythm during the compact eight-week Reinforced Conference.
Her return adds another offensive weapon to Farm Fresh’s arsenal, complementing Belgian import Helene Rousseaux, who exploded for 38 points against Nxled while also anchoring the defense with 15 excellent receptions and eight digs.
“Well, honestly, wala talaga sa 100-percent pa because ang tagal ko rin nawala sa court… I think mga eight months or almost a year, and nag-start pa lang ako mag training for almost three to four months now, and I don’t pressure myself. Gusto ko lang makabalik sa good shape and siyempre injury-free,” Molina admitted.
“Farm Fresh is my new home naman, so hindi ako nagmamadali but then yun nga may conference ngayon and kailangan kong mag-show up.”
